


1 9 4 4

by alchemisery



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Rare Characters, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-01-05 01:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12180018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alchemisery/pseuds/alchemisery
Summary: In which a sixteen-year-old Harry Potter has transferred back to the year nineteen forty-four in order to gain information about a young Tom Riddle.





	1. NINETEEN FORTY FOUR

**Author's Note:**

> if you're looking for a reason to read this; i seem to be one of the few tomarry time travel books in which harry has no intention of swaying tom riddles views or changing his future actions.

NINETEEN FORTY FOUR was an oddity,

especially for a sixteen-year-old Harry Potter who was completely out of his element as he stood on the platform, in a sea of unfamiliar faces. He glanced around the crowd, nervous first years were pacing back and forth while older students reunited with old friends. Then there was Harry, who stood completely alone near the end of the train attempting not to bring attention to himself.

As he boarded the train he managed to face first into another person a tall, broad-shouldered body that quickly steadied him before he could fall backward.

Alphard Black.

Harry paused before passing the young man and continuing down the crowded train till he found the only empty compartment. He sat near the window watching the scenery pass by as his heart sunk. For a few moments, he wallowed in his own loneliness and felt pity before the compartment door slid open.

A young man tall and broad-shouldered stepped in, still, mid-conversation with a woman Harry was unable to see. He seemed to be caught off guard by Harry's presence as he glanced around the nearly empty compartment.

"Who are you?" Tom asked rather coldly as he stepped into the compartment, Harry looked around the compartment nervously.

"Harry Potter." He answered meekly, standing up from his seat and making as if he was going to leave. Tom stopped him rather swiftly, towering over the young man who anxiously took a step back.

"He's new Tom." The young woman behind him explained, placing a hand on the broad shoulder of Tom Riddle who backed down within seconds.

"Where are you from?" He asked angrily, not taking an eye off of Harry as he stepped further into the compartment.

"Castelobruxo." Harry lied as the young man and woman stepped into the compartment.

"Tom be nice, he didn't know." The girl said pulling Tom into his seat opposite Harry, who was secretly thankful for the dark-haired girl sitting across from him.

The young woman snaked her arms around his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek, immediately he seemed to relax. They were quite the pair, both stunning sixth years with dark hair and a sense of entitlement. They reminded Harry of Draco and Astoria, with a difference in hair color.

"My name is Druella." The girl said removing a hand from her boyfriend's shoulder and extending it to Harry, who shook it gratefully.

"Tom can be a bit of a prat sometimes so I apologize on his behalf." She giggled, glancing at Tom who only glared at her in response.

"What house are you? If you know of course." Druella asked kindly kissing her boyfriend for the second time.

"I believe Slytherin, or maybe Ravenclaw. I don't quite remember." Harry said honestly, feeling slow for having forgotten some of the information the order had given him.

"Oh, I hope it's Slytherin, although Ravenclaw is also adequate." She said watching Harry who smiled nervously. Tom glanced at Harry for a split second, and the younger could feel a slight shiver descend him in that moment.

Efe iska?

Both Harry and Druella stared at Tom, who was glancing out of the large window.

Sā.

Harry found himself responding, a look of understanding washing over Druella.

Hásim?

Druella asked to the surprise of Harry, who was still slightly taken aback at the sudden change in dialect.

Tænas.

With that, the door slid open, and a round-faced woman with a card full of sweets beamed around the compartment.

"Would you like anything of the trolly?"


	2. ILLEGAL TRANSPORT OF MAGICAL CREATURES

Over the course of three days, Harry Potter found himself in a whirlwind of situations he'd never imagined himself in. Befriending Draco Malfoy's grandmother and playing chess with Tom Riddle being the most overwhelming. Aside from those things living in the Slytherin dormitory and getting into the occasional tiff with Alphard Black were among the others.

"Tom, if you could do us all the monumental favor of gracing us with your silence, it would be greatly appreciated." Druella said dully as she flipped another page of her text book, Tom ignored her request and continued to reprimand Harry about falling asleep in A History Of Magic.

"Potter we'll be late for *Xylomancy if you continue wasting time." Tom snapped as he rose from his chair, Harry rolled his eyes and Druella huffed to herself.

Harry had absolutely dreaded the part of his task that required him to go to classes, he'd ended up with a schedule that mirrored Tom's. This meant he was taking some of Hogwarts most advanced classes including the Study Of Ancient Runes, Alchemy, Arithmancy and the most unfortunate Xylomancy.

Eventually Harry was unable to stall Tom any longer and the pair made their way down to the grounds. Where the Xylomancy class was venturing into the Forbidden Forest to collect tree bark and twigs to interpret.

There were only ten students in the class, all of which were the most advanced witches and wizards in all of Hogwarts.

"Go forth and collect what calls to you." Professor McDowell said to her students, as she led them into the forest. Most people ventured out, smart enough to be able to care for themselves as they explored for what "called" to them. Harry found himself sticking close to Tom, occasionally falling over tree branches only to have Tom help him up in annoyance.

"For Merlin sake Potter learn to walk." Tom snapped as they came to a small opening in the forest. To Harry's surprise it seemed to be the place where the thestral's roamed when they weren't drawing carriages. They seemed unfazed by the presence of the young men, continuing to prowl as one came up to Harry. They were quite sweet creatures if they weren't mistreated which in some ways contradicted their classification as dangerous animals.

"Potter what on earth are you looking at?" Tom asked as Harry ventured over to the one of the thestrals near the small pond of water. It struck Harry that at this point, Tom wouldn't be able to see the thestral which gave him a small feeling in superiority.

"Thestral, you know the things that draw the carriages." Harry explained sensing Tom's feeling of annoyance.

"I know what a thestral is dimwit, I just didn't know you could see them." The older boy said in annoyance, Harry laughed inwardly and continued to examine the creature omitting the fact that Tom was the reason he could see the animals.

ILLEGAL TRANSPORTATION OF MAGICAL CREATURES LEADS TO **MANTICORE AND SPHINX ESCAPING NEAR THE GROUNDS OF HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

MINISTRY OF MAGIC OFFERING A ***2079 GALLEON REWARD FOR ANYONE WHO CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION LEADING TO THE CAPTURE OF SAID CREATURES OR WHO CAN BRING IN CREATURES UNHARMED

The entirety of Hogwarts seemed to be in crisis mode when the news broke out the next morning. Groups of students were plotting to attempt and storm the forest in search of the creatures only to be stopped by Tom, while other students sought protective charms.

THE SPHINX HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY BEEN NAMED ZUNNO UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. IF ZUNNO IS SPOTTED PLEASE CALL THE TEMPORARY HOTLINE

"I suppose they're trying to humanize the creatures, so no one tries to poach them." Druella explained as yet another headline graced the tables of the great hall. Harry nodded absentmindedly reading through the copy of FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM that Druella had loaned him.

MANTICORE SPOTTED ON THE GROUNDS OF HOGSMEADE ALL PERSONS NEAR ENCOURAGED TO STAY INSIDE. MANTICORE TEMPORARILY NAMED ZONKO AFTER THE LAST SIGHTING

"Is someone at the ministry so bored that they named them Zunno and Zonko." Druella said laughing to herself as yet another unconventional headline landed in front of the pair. Over the passed week Druella and Harry had become closer rather close, as Tom seemed to be uninterested with the two.

"Tom's on a rampage." Harry observed as a furious young man made his way to the pair, who braced themselves for the wrath of Tom Riddle.

"Tom have you ever considered a calming potion?" Harry suggested earning himself a near death glare from the older boy.

Over the course of the week the only thing he'd managed to learn about Tom Riddle was that he had a severe anger problem, which was quite obvious. Aside from that Tom occasionally mentioned his past, but nothing that warranted Harry's return to the present.

Harry sighed inwardly, he wanted to go back to his home. The present day Hogwarts with his makeshift family, his girlfriend and his home. Although he'd managed to become part of new trio, Tom and Druella came nowhere close to Ron or Hermione. He'd even take the return of Draco Malfoy because at least he was a familiar face.

"She's back Potter." Druella tapped him nodding towards a younger girl who'd been watching Harry since the second day.

Olive Hornby.

A stunning young which with unnaturally thick hair who was only known to Harry because of how she tormented Myrtle. Harry couldn't help but think if she had a better personality he might've found himself interested in here.

"Who's back?" Tom snapped looking around the Slytherin table for the source of his friends attention.

"No one, mind yourself." Druella said yet again putting Tom in his place, he sneered at her and returned to whatever book he was attempting to read.

He seemed to become more and more agitated each second, eventually snapping shut his book and making his way out of the great hall with a flourish.

"He's got quite the flair for the dramatic." Druella explained apologetically as she watched her friend stopping to yell at a smaller Ravenclaw.

"But I think he likes having you around."


	3. READING THE LEAVES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Note ; Harry was sent from nineteen ninety six, when he was sixteen years old - a year before the hunt for the horcruxes (1997) began.
> 
> At this point (in nineteen forty four) two horcruxes had been created (Tom was sixteen at this point) - The diary and the Peverell Ring.

ZUNNO THE SPHINX AND ZONKO THE MANTICORE STILL NOT LOCATED DAYS AFTER AN UNFORTUNATE MISHAP LEAVES THEM PROWLING NEAR HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY.

Harry set aside the newspaper, having only looked at it for the updates on Zunno and Zonko. Druella had attempted to convince him to accompany her on a midnight expedition to hogsmeade. However, that would leave on to many people Harry would need to obliviate at the end of his time in that year. Instead, he opted to take the job of distracting Tom that night, which proved to be more difficult than he thought.

"This is for you, from Olive." Druella said handing Harry a note with his name written in pastel pink. However, before he got the chance to open the paper it was taken out of his hands.

"Don't be stupid Potter, it could be enchanted." Tom said to the surprise of both of his friends. Druella attempted to stifle a fit of laughter while Harry stared at him in disbelief.

"Even if she did, what would have even done to it?" Harry asked attempting to retrieve the note from Tom, who held it out of reach.

"I doubt she put poison in the ink Tom." Druella pointed out to which Harry nodded in agreement.

"You're being absolutely rediculous." Harry snapped retrieving the note from the older boy.

"You're jealousy is unnerving, if you're so in love with Potter you're stealing his love notes you'll probably have an aneurysm when he asks Hornby on a date." Druella said casually, for the first time in a little over half a decade Tom appeared to be blushing. He rose from the table with an unnecessary flourish and retreated from the great hall.

"There's nothing written here..." Harry said showing Druella the blank parchment to which she smiled.

"Of course not, that's because I wrote it."

ZUNNO SPOTTED NEAR SHRIEKING SHACK, ALLEGEDLY OFFERING RIDDLES IN RETURN FOR A PEACEFUL CAPTURE

Harry sat next to Tom, staring blankly at his new friends somewhere off in his head. Although it had only been a week and a day he was becoming increasingly more lonely. Druella was a good friend to him, nothing about her friendship felt right. Of course, Tom may have considered Harry and "friend" but Harry was unable to return the favor. Aside from the occasional slug club event to which he accompanied Tom, his life was uneventful. He had failed to collect any major information and was becoming quite discouraged.

"Tell me potter have you always been this clumsy, or is this a new habit you've taken up?" Tom asked pulling Harry out of his thoughts, Harry quickly picked up one of the twigs he'd knocked off the table and attempted to focus on Xylomancy.

"I guess I see darkness, but it's not towards you-you inflict violence on everyone else." Harry said making up a not-quite-untrue prediction as he pretended to examine one of the sticks. Tom glanced at him almost surprised at the young man's words.

"Tell me, do you believe the things we predict?" Tom asked glancing at his friend. Harry hesitated unsure exactly how to go about answering the question.

"If you're asking specifically for this prediction I suppose so." Harry answered, looking over the twig attempting to see how someone could begin to see fortunes in a slightly damp twig.

"Why?" Harry felt his stomach turned as he wondered why as Tom would even care in the first place. Harry shrugged to the disappointment of Tom.

"Very well Potter, now it is my turn. Your future is a mix of life and death, that will alternate starting with death. Who have you seen die?" Tom asked Harry felt as if his dark eyes were searching every inch of his relatively young soul. He was looking for every dark spot, every moment that affected his sixteen-year life.

"I was eleven, my cousin died." Harry lied attempting not to glance around too much.

"You're lying, who did you see die?" Tom asked again, this time more forceful.

"None of your damn business."


	4. TEARS TO SHED

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so there was supposed to be a chapter between this one and the last called "split the soul/waste the day" and it was a mini-chapter and I'm still trying to figure out whether to include it or not. To be honest, this chapter got a bit messy, I just had multiple ideas and made the mistake of trying to add most of them to the chapter. My apologies, I'll make sure to plan better

In the sixteen years Tom Riddle had spent on earth, he'd never shed a tear or so he claimed. However, there would come an inevitable moment in life that the dry spell would end.

Alphard Black watched as his oldest friend commit a series of uncharacteristic acts, from admitting defeat to crying. As much as he tried to comfort Tom, he knew he'd have to think of some unconventional ways to go about it since this was an unconventional moment.

"You're not going to throw yourself off the Astronomy tower are you?" Alphard asked, quickly realizing he shouldn't have given his friend the idea. Tom shook his head, retreating to his bed and sighing inwardly.

"You're being quite ridiculous, you know that right?" Alphard pointed out as he continued to flip through his ADVANCED POTIONS MAKING textbook. Tom didn't respond burring his head in his pillow and sighing again. Alphard rolled his eyes, casually watching his friend to make sure he didn't make an attempt at the window.

For the next hour, Tom occasionally lets out dry sobs while grumbling to himself, Alphard watching over him while completing various assignments. Although Alphard found his friends' actions particularly pathetic however he stayed by his side regardless.

HOGWARTS GROUNDS OPENED TO STUDENTS DESPITE DEPARTMENTS WARNINGS AGAINST THE IDEA

"Tom you look absolutely awful." Druella pointed out before she could stop herself, Harry nodded in agreement as they glanced up at him. Aside from the disheveled hair, his eyes were quite bloodshot and he looked as exhausted as ever.

"Did you sleep at all?" Harry asked remembering that neither Alphard or Tom had entered the dormitory till at least three in the morning.

"I'm fine." Tom said but for the first time in nearly half a decade, his voice shook. There was an obvious lack of the usual confidence within every word he spoke.

"You don't look fine, what happened?" Druella asked prodding her best friend as she examined to make sure he had no obvious physical injury.

"I fell down some stairs." Tom lied only causing Druella to snort and Harry to raise an eyebrow.

"And you cried? Come on mate what actually happened?" Harry asked in faux concern, it was becoming increasingly more difficult to feign a friendship with the young man.

"It's a long story I rather not recount at the moment." Tom said relaxing ever so slightly to the interest of Druella - who noted ever minute movement her friend made.

The rest of the meal was spent in uncomfortable silence, Tom occasionally glancing at Harry with Druella watching his every movement.

• • •

note ; A History Of Magic was written in 1947 and probably not used at hogwarts till later than that. But for the purpose of this class period - and since I don't know what textbooks they had in 1944, we're going to ignore this.

• • •

"Non-magic people (more commonly known as ) were particularly afraid of in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or would perform a basic Flame-Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, enjoyed being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught no less than forty-seven times in various disguises."

It appeared that no one in the classroom seventy-four seemed interested in the lesson being taught. It was quite tragic how it dragged on, long past the time people thought it should have ended.

As the lessons of witch burning and other gruesome thing continued Tom lazily flipped through a dark arts book he'd enchanted to look like a Herbology textbook. Harry drifted in and out of a chaotic dream, wondering if he'd ever go home while Druella knitted scarves. Alphard Black glanced at Tom, who had appeared to have bounced back from his earlier fit before returning to his Ancient Runes.

No one seemed to pay attention as the stories of revenge on the muggles were being told, although they would eventually grow to regret it during the testing season.

0 0 0 0

Harry stared blankly at the sheet of paper in front of him, filled with various numbers used to predict various outcomes. He had no idea how one was supposed to go about doing Arithmancy, although he'd been in the class for nearly two weeks.

WHAT IS YOUR CHARACTER NUMBER?

It was supposed to be a simple question but Harry found himself lost, digging through the textbook for an explanation.

8 + 1 + 9 + 9 + 7 + 7 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 5 + 9 = 65

6 +5 = 11

1 + 1 = 2

He reviewed his work, hoping it was correct but still doubting himself. Although there were still sixteen questions left he closed the book and returned it to the pile in front of him. He'd completed one question and that was about all the emotional energy for. He pulled out his Alchemy assignment.

"You give up so quickly Potter." Tom observed from the armchair adjacent to Harry's. He'd been watching his friend struggle for nearly an hour, neglecting to offer help.

 

"You could've tried a slight bit harder." Tom pointed out, to which Harry rolled his eyes and attempted to ignore the criticisms. 

"Although I don't know if it would have done you any good, you're not that intelligent," Tom mumbled causing Harry to toss the alchemy book aside. 

"Do you want something?" Harry snapped to a relatively satisfied Tom, who shrugged and returned to whatever book he was reading. 

"You seem particularly touchy today, are you feeling ill?" Tom asked letting out a slight laugh for the first time in a while. Harry rolled his eyes and began to struggle through Alchemy - wishing he was as good a student as his friends. Tom took the disregarded Arithmancy assignment and looked it over.

For ten minutes the pair sat in silence, Harry to busy attempting to review Alchemy to notice Tom was still in possession of his Arithmancy. Eventually, Tom returned the parchment to its original place in the pile of homework and left Harry to himself. The young man worked for nearly three more hours through Alchemy, Potions, and Xylomancy - and it wasn't till he was returned to his Arithmancy assignment he realized it had already been completed. 


	5. THE SLUG CLUB

"Harry, Harry wait up!" The voice of Olive Hornby wrang out over the crowd as Harry stepped aside. To his annoyance Tom followed suit, deciding Harry might need some sort of backup to deal with the young woman. 

"I was wondering what you were doing after dinner? A few of us were getting together to study and such." She asked glancing at the floor, to Harry's irritation before he could answer Tom interrupted.

"Actually, we have to meet with a professor after dinner," Tom interjected, to which Harry groaned inwardly. Olive sighed and gave him a small smile before retreating back to her group of friends. 

"What is wrong with you?" Harry snapped glancing up at Tom who was looking relatively satisfied. 

"I asked you to come with me nearly three days ago." Tom pointed out as the began to walk towards the dungeons and the potions classroom. 

"And I said no, why in the hell would I want to go to your pretentious party?" Harry snapped to which Tom looked slightly hurt. 

"Calm down Potter, she's not that interesting anyway. You can do much better." Tom said as the entered the common room for their free period. Druella was already sitting in near the fire knitting a Slytherin scarf.

"I hate you." Harry said firmly, pushing passed Tom and heading towards the boys' dormitory.

0 0 0 0

Unlike the slug club of nineteen ninety-six, the one of Tom Riddle's time was quite pretentious. Seventh year Ravenclaws with hyper-inflated egos mixed with Slytherins' that could only have bad intentions. 

Harry milled around the room, following Tom who seemed to have some conversation to make with everyone. Eventually, Tom introduced Harry to someone - but the younger man couldn't be bothered to remember their names. He was too busy lost in thought, thinking up some excuse that he could give the order for not completing his mission. 

"Potter, pay attention." Tom snapped his relatively bone fingers digging into Harry's shoulder. In response, he got a rather irritated look.

"I was saying, that it might be best for you to try and fraternize." Tom explained as they crossed the room. Harry made no effort to respond, only gritting his teeth in an attempt to keep calm. 

"Come on Potter at least make some effort, do you try at anything?" Tom asked when his friend remained silent. 

"I'm leaving, I have better ways to spend my time." Harry snapped turning to make his way towards the nearest exit. I hand clamped tightly around his wrist and he was pulled back within a matter of seconds - finding himself face to face with Tom. Dark brown eyes seemed to pierce every part of Harry who made little effort to pull away. 

"There will come a day where no one will do what you say, and I suggest you prepare yourself for that." Harry said through gritted teeth slipping through Tom's grip and fleeing to the exit.

Deciding against the common room Harry's mind raced as he entered the empty Astronomy Tower. He could see the lights of the Gryffindor tower from the right angle, only causing his heart to sink further. He missed Hermione and Ron more than anything and wished he'd changed his mind when he had the opportunity. But being the person he is he jumped at the opportunity help the order. However, in the weeks he'd spent Tom Riddle he hadn't gathered any information that wasn't already known - aside from the small bit of information about the Horcruxes*. He wanted nothing more to be back with the people who loved him. 

By the time he finally checked his watch he was surprised how much time had passed while he gazed out the window. It was nearly midnight when there was a slight creak of the door and a particularly irritated looking Tom Riddle entered the room.

He hadn't realized how much time had passed when he checked his watch, it was nearly midnight. He had no energy to return to the common room and deal with Tom but it didn't matter. There was a slight creak of the door and a particularly irritated Tom Riddle entered the room.

"You ran off." He stated simply from the doorway, to which Harry didn't respond. Tom stepped further into the room closing the door behind him. 

"The silent treatment is quite childlike, even for you Potter." Tom commented as he crossed the room, Harry still not answering. 

"Why not be a man?" Tom asked stepping forward, Harry glanced up at him trying to exercise patience - which was becoming increasingly more difficult as he was face to face with his parents' eventual murderer. 

"Why are you here?" Harry asked through gritted teeth, glaring up at Tom - who seemed to tower over him at that moment. 

"I wouldn't use that tone." Tom said menacingly glancing down at he supposed friend, who was becoming increasingly more angry with the second. 

"Actually, I wanted to know what you meant earlier. You didn't think you were going to be off the hook that quickly with a comment like that?" Tom asked, stopping Harry who made an attempt to push past him. 

"I have no intentions of explaining myself to you." Hary said firmly, making another attempt to push past him but failing again, Tom holding him by the collar.

As their eyes met for a split second a thought crossed through Harry's mind, what exactly caused someone to become the man Tom Riddle would eventually be? In some ways it was quite frighting - as it proved just about anyone could become this emotionless. In theory, Harry could've become the same person.


	6. MELODRAMATIC

'You're not ill, just restless.' Druella sighed, standing from the armchair where she had perched herself on the edge, examining her friend. 'Go outside for a moment and you'll be fine.'

Harry groaned as he sat up, momentarily becoming lightheaded. Druella laughed returning to her textbook as she rolled her eyes.

'Have you forgotten the way?' Druella asked when Harry finally stood. Staring blankly at her before shaking his head and making his way from the common room.

0 0 0

Harry sat just outside the Hogwarts entrance, watching a bird fly aimlessly before perching itself opposite him.

He couldn't help but feel as if the order had set him up for failure, after being given such a vague task and thrown into a time he knew nothing of. He had barely scratched the surface of the wonders that were the wizarding world, how was he to fare in the wizarding world of forty years ago.

Why was it crucial that he be the one to back?

Why not Hermione? She was far more intelligent and didn't share a 'special connection' with Voldemort. But, he supposed that was why they sent him. Supposedly his 'bond' with Voldemort would be helpful. However it was no use, Tom Riddle was far different than the man he'd grow to be. He had far more character, and there was no use looking at what would happen to figure out the teenager.

'How do you always manage to be in the same place as me?' Harry asked, turning to face Tom who joined him while he was lost in thought.

'I asked where you were, Druella told me.' He explained as he sat adjacent. Harry internally cursed Druella - although he never explicitly told her to keep his whereabouts secret.

'Why?' Harry asked dully, as he glanced at his watch — half past eleven.

'Curiosity.' Tom replied, glancing at Harry. 'However, it seems the implication is that you would like me to leave.'

'We both should, we're out far later than we're should be.' Harry pointed out, as the pair stood.

'If we go through the courtyard there's a far lesser chance we'll be caught then walking directly through the entrance hall.' Tom pointed out, Harry nodded in agreement and the pair made their way to the courtyard. Careful to avoid any teachers, caretakers, or other beings that seemed to occupy the castle. They walked in silence, occasionally exchanging glances - but that was a rarity.

Eventually, they reached the staircase that led to the dungeons, but before Harry could descend he was pulled, quite harshly behind a statue. Before he could react, Tom signaled for him to remain silent watching over Harry's head for someone unknown being that caught Tom's attention.

Within his close proximity to Tom, he was able to observe several things he hadn't before. Tom was notably taller than Harry, but half a foot or so. He smelled of vanilla, which was both captivating and surprising.

'Potter?' Harry was eventually snapped from his thoughts as he glanced at Tom who gave him a wry smile.

'As much as you would enjoy standing here and doing whatever it was you were doing, we ought to be going now.' He explained, stepping out from the statue and pulling a flustered Potter with him.

0 0 0

'Romantic attraction is nothing but a chemical mishap.' Tom argued as Druella rolled her eyes so hard one might worry that it might be painful.

'Chemical mishap? Is that how you go about describing it?' Druella asked, looking as if she were going to throw a textbook when Tom nodded. 'You're obnoxious, don't you ever get exhausted being a melodramatic faux intellectual? Oh, and a piece of advice. Whenever you get done being a coward and get around to telling Harry how you feel about him, I wouldn't go about calling it a chemical mishap.'

The table fell silent, Alphard staring in shock at Druella as Harry stared uncomfortably at a piece of parchment. Tom's expression was indecipherable, as his eyes were locked with Druella's.

'Tell me Alphard, do you find me to be obnoxious, melodramatic, and falsely intellectual?' He asked, turnings attention adjacent as did Druella.

'Obnoxious, no. But if you're looking for honestly you can be a bit of a drama queen, even if you haven't noticed.' Alphard answered, purposely glancing anywhere but at his friends.

'And Harry? What's your say?' Tom asked, turning your Harry who wished he had the ability to melt into his chair. 'Be honest, I won't be upset.'

'You can be a tad bit... Overwhelming.' Harry stammered, feeling quite bad as he said so.

'As for chemical mishaps, I have no romantic interest in you and I never have in anyone.' Tom said as he rose from the table, Harry nodded rather meekly.

'You shouldn't have said that.' Alphard said turning to Druella when Tom was finally out of earshot. 'You know how he gets about that sort of thing.'

'Alphard, he's human and humans have emotions. He can't just pretend he doesn't and develops a superiority complex because of it.' Druella argued as she closed her books stuffing them into her bags.

'He can barely deal with the concept of romance, let alone the idea of having them. And on top of that, you implied he liked boys, of course, he won't take well that.' Alphard sighed, 'The world doesn't take well to people like that. Although we might his family won't, the school won't. He's got a lot in his head.'


	7. FATAL ATTRACTION

It was an emotion, somewhere between disgust, curiosity, and delight that awoke Harry that night. The natural disgust that came with the possibility that the murderer of his parents fancied him. However, there was a curiosity that came with it — why? What had Harry done to gain his favor? Then there was feeling only to be described as delight. Because Tom Riddle, under any other circumstances would have caught Harry's attention.

He was far more attractive than any of his Slytherin counterparts, and perhaps if he grew up to be anyone else, or grew up in Harry's era the feeling would be mutual. However, the mere thought of finding Tom attractive drove Harry to the toilets where he vomited profusely. He would not allow himself to feel that unfortunate attraction.

As the young man brushed his teeth, his thoughts were grounded in reality as there was a knock on the door. He already had an idea as to who it was, and his theory was confirmed as he opened the door.

'Have you been sick?' Tom asked, rubbing his eyes as he was temporarily blinded by the bathroom light. His hair was in complete disarray, and Harry couldn't help but stifle a laugh at Tom's disheveled appearance.

'It's nothing, I had a dream and it made me ill.' Harry lied, as he set aside his toothbrush and examined himself in the bathroom mirror. Tom reached out, pressing a hand to Harry's forehead.

'You're not warm but you ought to see the healer.' Tom said has Harry pushed past him, shaking his head.

'Stop pestering me.' Harry snapped as he retreated to his bed — drawing the drapes quite aggressively.

He stared blankly at the canopy trying to force the idea of an attractive Tom Riddle from his head.

He murdered your parents.

However, as Harry spent more time in the era he had grown to separate Voldemort from Tom. In order to see the young man for what he was, a young man - with an appearance far more captivating than it should be. Whilst he might be narcissistic, he used it to his advantage as had a charm about him at times. It was no surprise to Harry why the Slytherin girls seemed to toss themselves at him from time to time.

Harry had never gone out of his way to think about sexuality, after all, there were far more urgent matters. He had taken interested in Ginny, for a short but still mentionable amount of time. He, if not for a split second had fancied Hermione as well. However, he'd taken interest in others as well. George Weasley when they had first met, an unrequited love which spanned a considerable amount of time — nearly a year. Then came whatever interest he took in Draco Malfoy, which still plagued him to that day.


	8. TIME AND TIME PASSED

Harry took the small metal object he held, flipping it over before returning it to the bedside drawer. If not for a fraction of a second, he considered returning to the present day - he could come up with some excuse, lie to the order and to his closest friends about why he returned after so long with no useful information. However, the thought of disappointment he would face made him set aside the time turner.

The days had grown longer, and time seemed to move to its own beat as a day became a week, and a week became a month. Harry stared blankly at the canopy above him, finally sitting up for the first time in at least three days. He began his particularly formulaic morning routine, sighing audibly as he was met with his own reflection. The bags under his eye seemed to have grown, and although he couldn't have been sure his hair seemed to have grown as well.  _When was the last time he had seen himself?_

'You ought to shave.' Druella said as he joined her at the small corner table in the common room. Books were strewn across the table, reminding Harry that he hadn't touched a book or his homework in at least a week. _Hermione would have an aneurysm_. 'You also ought to go to class again, I told all the teachers you were ill, but you can't play ill forever.' 

'Where's Alphard?' Harry asked realizing he had been absent from both the dormitory and common room. 

'With his brother and Tom is with a professor.' Druella explained, setting aside the book she held and running a hand through her hair. Harry watched Druella for several seconds, realizing several things he had not before. 

Although it should have been obvious, Druella Rosier was identical to her future daughter Bellatrix, with the exception of her hair which was closer to the color of her other daughter Narcissa. However, her personality was a mix of Andromeda and Narcissa - she was considerably caring but quiet, preferring books to the company of other people. It was a wonder to Harry, how such a seemingly kind woman could produce only one amiable offspring. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned from my two month long depression nap.


	9. TOM RIDDLE

Tom Riddle was a peculiar human being — while he had a distinctive personality,  _what set him apart was seemingly having no personality at all_.  He was a considerably boring individual to those who did not know him. However, it was the small "quirks" which had originally gained and kept his friends interest.

'You'd think after nearly three years you'd learn to control your breathing.' Druella snapped as she sorted through her assorted textbooks —  _obnoxious mouth breather_. Tom ignored her comment and continued with his own studies. His mind drifted from the Charms notes laid out before him, Potter had wandered of nearly an hour ago and had begun to worry.

'You think far too loudly.' Druella commented pulling Tom from his various anxieties and back to the present. 'Do you ever grow tired of sticking your nose in other people's business?'

'What on earth are you going on about?' Tom asked as he turned back to his notes.

'You're always wondering where Potter is, what he's doing, who he's with. It's borderline obsessive.' Druella explained, setting aside her own notes and taking a deep breath. 'Tom, if you fancy him I will hold no judgment against you for it. However, when you begin to act proprietorial with him, it concerns me.'

Druella Rosier was correct and Tom found himself nodding silently, as she spoke unsure what to say even as she finished. He slumped in his chair, and for a fraction of a second Druella seemed to see her best friend for exactly what he was. A young man - overwhelmed by school work, exhausted from keeping up a faux persona and in the midst of his first romantic crisis (made only more complicated when sexuality was mixed in). While his stress did not excuse his toxic behavior, that didn't prevent Druella from sympathizing with him.

'I think you ought to talk to him, attempt to the alleviate the what if's that filling your head. Perhaps that might help?' Druella suggested, coming to the unfortunate realization (for the second time in her life) that there were some things magic couldn't fix. 


End file.
